Yes we know what would have happened and frankly McGuigan's handlers the Eastwoods knew. Anyone who even thinks the outcome is debatable is deluded. Nelson destroyed much better than McGiggle. Nelson is q great and legendary your hero Barry is not.

My comments are as I remember the times. I've been reading Boxing News since around 82 and during the time of the McGuigan/Nelson debate in 85/86, most of their readers would have considered McGuigan the favourite to beat Nelson,that is a fact. Talking up a fight by calling people silly names doesn't mean McGuigan would have been frightened of Nelson, it just wasn't McGuigans style to react to it. As far as the Irish press were concerned the fight was going to happen at some stage and that was the general opinion of most at that time, but it didn't happen because of Cruz. Would he have beaten Nelson if they had fought, we will never know only speculate. And by the way in my culture to call someone idiotic is offensive, so if your tone continues in this manner I won't be replying to anymore of your posts.

By the way I am not calling you idiotic. I would not do that. It is the comments that I take serious issue with not you personally. As you can probably tell I have serious views on this issue about Barry McGuigan because his antics prevented what should have been career defining for both men.

Yes we know what would have happened and frankly McGuigan's handlers the Eastwoods knew. Anyone who even thinks the outcome is debatable is deluded. Nelson destroyed much better than McGiggle. Nelson is q great and legendary your hero Barry is not.

You are totally misreading his posts. He is not saying McGuigan would have won, he is saying that AT THE TIME people did not know how good Nelson was and that McGuigan would have felt confident of winning and that many would have had him as favourite.

When Clay stepped in with Liston for the first time, Liston was the huge favourite and most people thought he would destroy Clay. It turned out to be wrong.

Hindsight is different to what people feel at a given moment. All he is saying is that McGuigan would have felt he would win and that at that time Nelson was not feared in the way that he would go on to be.

You are totally misreading his posts. He is not saying McGuigan would have won, he is saying that AT THE TIME people did not know how good Nelson was and that McGuigan would have felt confident of winning and that many would have had him as favourite.

When Clay stepped in with Liston for the first time, Liston was the huge favourite and most people thought he would destroy Clay. It turned out to be wrong.

Hindsight is different to what people feel at a given moment. All he is saying is that McGuigan would have felt he would win and that at that time Nelson was not feared in the way that he would go on to be.

Of course Nelson was feared back then ever since his performance as a last mnute substitute against the great Sanchez (may his perfect soul rest in peace). Nelson has honoured Sanchez's career and legend by going on to have the career he did. McGuigan and his handlers were not confident at all. Micky Duff a great friend of McGuigan's manager Barney Eastwood was in Azumah Nelson's corner for the Sanchez fight and pretty sure he advised Barney that Barry be kept away from Nelson. Barney Eastwood was also ringside when Azumah defended his WBC title against that fine Irish boxer Pat Cowdell and what he saw made up his mind when Nelson knocked Pat Cowdell unconscious with a left uppercut I in the 1st round. Only those not in the know could conceive of McGuigan winning. A friend of mine having neve seen Nelson in 1985 though surely McGuigan would win until he saw a fight of Nelson and said that Barry's style was made to order for Nelson.

Of course Nelson was feared back then ever since his performance as a last mnute substitute against the great Sanchez (may his perfect soul rest in peace). Nelson has honoured Sanchez's career and legend by going on to have the career he did. McGuigan and his handlers were not confident at all. Micky Duff a great friend of McGuigan's manager Barney Eastwood was in Azumah Nelson's corner for the Sanchez fight and pretty sure he advised Barney that Barry be kept away from Nelson. Barney Eastwood was also ringside when Azumah defended his WBC title against that fine Irish boxer Pat Cowdell and what he saw made up his mind when Nelson knocked Pat Cowdell unconscious with a left uppercut I in the 1st round. Only those not in the know could conceive of McGuigan winning. A friend of mine having neve seen Nelson in 1985 though surely McGuigan would win until he saw a fight of Nelson and said that Barry's style was made to order for Nelson.

Why are you posting this to me? I was not telling you that Nelson was not as feared as he would become to be, I was telling you what the other lad was saying so you would stop addressing his posts as if he was saying McGuigan would have beaten Nelson.

Why are you posting this to me? I was not telling you that Nelson was not as feared as he would become to be, I was telling you what the other lad was saying so you would stop addressing his posts as if he was saying McGuigan would have beaten Nelson.

You are arguing with points that nobody has made.

I am agreeing with your points actually apart from one which is I don't believe McGuigan and his handlers thought he cold win back then because though the general public may not have known how good Nelson was the McGuigan certainly did. It gets on my tits when Barry says things like a particular fighter lacks intestinal fortitude etc when he sidestepped his career defining challenge. By contrast Marquez and Pacman fought each other four times to get a definite winner. Ricky Hatton is appreciated for not ducking Mayweather and Pacman. He may have lost but gained eternal respect.

If you know anything about McGuigans boxing history, you will know that he didn't avoid Nelson, sure the same could be argued that Nelson avoided McGuigan, but that's not true either. No promoter offered them the contest for the money it was worth, and also they were building towards the unification fight only Barry got derailed by Cruz. And besides back in 84/85/86 Nelson wasn't considered the household name he was to become [ it was a major shock when he defeated Gomez], most people thought if McGuigan and Nelson fought, then Barry would win, and I'm sure Barry would have thought the same.

Barney Eastwood said he kept McGuigan away because Nelson would have killed him, I don't know many people around here who gave McGuigan much if any kind of a shot.

Michael, I suggest you read Eastwoods book, THAT is an eye opener

as for this "bringing people together" stuff...well i've said my piece on that myth more times than enough

The irony of someone calling someone else an idiot when he claimed to manage a fighter he didnt have anything to do with...

I don't really need to answer you but will let you know that I did in fact fact represent the aforementioned fighter and was part of his management until I had to withdraw due to my other business committments. Whether you believe it or not I really don't care.